April, they told me the same thing last time, so I stopped taking them, then ended up in a&e due to asthma where a doctor told me to stop being an idiot and start taking them again as they totally safe during pregnancy. I went home and looked it up and found this from a world-leading research hospital: http://www.motherisk.org/prof/updatesDetail.jsp?content_id=927

I went to the doctors today and he basically said take nothing. He said loratadine and other antihistamine haven't been properly researched in pregnancy so they don't know the effects. He said at worst take them for 3-4 days but no longer

Do you have dymista in UK? It's a steroid/antihistamine nasal spray and it has change my life. I only use it once a day (recommendation is twice) and am bold and don't use it regularly but it is AMAZING!

Demented pixie - No idea I'm just relaying what the doctor said. He was very reluctant to prescribe anything and didn't as he said there just is enough research. I've googled it and it does seem to back it up...

I'm using the Boots Allergy Barrier nasal spray, which is fine if you're pregnant - I wasn't expecting it to work but it's actually been brilliant and usually my hayfever I quite bad. Worth a try if you haven't already.

I think the advice is the same for any medicine as obviously you can't perform trials on pregnant women. Any health care person I've seen (I've seen a lot!) has never batted an eyelid when I've reeled off my list of medicines which includes ceterizine. I have dust allergy meet along with pollen so have taken it all through my pregnancy. I feel like I have the flu if I don't take it for a few days so for me it's worth it.

And yes dymista is amazing but definitely not safe in pregnancy! I have actually been on a steroid that is safe for first trimester (prednisolone) as my allergies as so terrible, but I will have to start tapering off it as it's no good for 2nd tri onwards - but at least has got me through the worst of April/May!

I didn't know there were so many conflicting opinions on this from gp's. In my last pregnancy my gp actually prescribed me antihistamines to help with my sickness. Can't remember what they were called now

My obstetrician told me to take Piriton. She said that for ethical reasons there have been no formal studies of it in pregnant women, but that it had been used for over 30y with no evidence of problems.

Can I join the suffering club? Mine started earlier than normal this year and has been dreadful.

I had similar advice on Prevalin, which is in the realms of chocolate teapots for me. I'm seeing my midwife tomorrow and will be taking with me my supply of fexofenadine hydrochloride, which is the only antihistamine that works for me. Will report back on what she says.

There's really no need to suffer just because a couple of GPs don't know their stuff. The first gen antihistamines have been around for a very long time. If you don't believe those on this thread then why not do a bit of research yourself?

Don't know how you feel about homeopathy, but 8 years ago when I was pregnant with DS, and about to tear my own eyes out, I came across this kit and it completely got rid of my hayfever. I've had to top it up once since, but compared with the £££ I used to spend on antihistamine prescriptions, it's been amazing.

Be warned though - it does stop working if you need to use antihistamines for any other allergy - I am fiercely allergic to insect bites and undid the desensitisation, which I had to repeat.